I continue to be happy with Craig Custance's coverage of the NHL in The Sporting News as well as the daily online version of the magazine. He takes the perfect approach--allows the players, coaches and management to make the analysis. They tend to have better insight, and even if they say stupid things, it's interesting to hear their point of view.

From the print version:

Why not the Sharks?
By Doug Wilson, Sharks G.M.

I think the biggest thing is the experience this team has garnered over the last three years. We've had playoff games and good things happen. The group has evolved, and we've added four people who have won Stanley cups in Dan Boyle, Rob Blake, Todd Mclellan and Brad Lukowich.

That is something that you have to throw into the mix. We have great respect for the competition in the league, but every year we think we have gotten better. Some of it is through internal growth and experience and adding some of the players that we added.

We've been trying to get these players - Boyle and Blake - for several years. Danny--he's won a Cup, played in international events and is a competitive kid. He's got a great shot, he's active and can move pucks. There really aren't that many defensemen in the league like that who have also won.

He and Blake have been there and done it. They've won, and they make people around them better.